Dumbify

Shown for US

• Price: $4.99

Last verified 31 Jul 2026

Shown for US

3.0 206 ratings · App Store

1. 3/5Functional but a little clunky

   I appreciate how clean this looks, bit launching an app is not a very smooth experience. The app supports a handful of potential apps out of the box, but if you want to add an app that isn’t on there it can get somewhat technical (either url schemes or you make a shortcut). My biggest gripe is likely a limitation of iOS itself, but the widget doesn’t launch your desired app directly. It launches the app which then redirects you to the app (or sometimes it redirects you to a shortcut that redirects you to the app for another layer). You’re definitely choosing style over seamlessness with this compared to using a shortcut widget. I set this up so that it shows the home screen and wallpaper using a focus mode so I can quickly toggle between this and my unrestricted phone access. I highly recommend that for those who are on the fence, but I do seem to be stuck with the same app dock on my home screen (again, this is an iOS issue more than anything but i’m mentioning it since this app aims to essentially reskin iOS) Definitely worth the money and it seems to do everything it can but it does have its limitations. edit: I just realized that enabling “Reduce Motion” in accessibility gets rid of the animations when launching an app which makes the experience much smoother and also removes more distracting eyecandy on your phone!

   heather.lol · 31 Jul 2026

2. 3/5Functional but similar gripes as others

   I like the vibe but coming in after iOS 26 has a couple distinct disadvantages, particularly in the new look of widgets having an unremovable/uncustomizable border that defeats the seamless look of the home screen. That, plus opening some apps automatically goes to a specific page (messages always goes to creating a new message rather than just opening your threads list; settings always goes into “Apps” directly into Dumbify’s allowed access). So there’s definitely some more annoying stuff than just the intentional barriers one wants to put in place via the app’s purpose itself. All that said, overall a helpful app for minimizing - and honestly, good for learning to build tolerance for exceedingly shallow frustrations lol

   jerm.97 · 31 Jul 2026

3. 5/5Best yet

   I’ve been trying to dumbify my phone in fits and starts for a while now. I was in another fit and start a couple days ago. I tried one app I had read about but it was clunky to use and couldn’t find/link to simple apps that come with the iPhone. Found another and tried it and the process was convoluted and confusing. While trying to find out how to work it, I discovered Dumbify. It is heads and tails over anything else I’ve seen or tried. Simple, elegant user interface. In just two days, my phone use has already gone down. I asked a question on the Reddit post where I discovered the app, and the developer was quick to respond, which was awesome. A few (not all) of the iPhone native apps require going though Shortcuts (this is an Apple thing, not a Dumbify thing), and seeing that burst of color interrupt my calm minimalist phone drives me bonkers. It’s very quick and temporary, but come on, Apple!

   hyp0static · 31 Jul 2026

4. 2/5Slow loading shortcuts widget, doesn’t truly block app shortcuts

   This app is a simple widget. The shortcuts look ugly when they load which is contradictory to the aesthetic promised, and they take too long to load compared to just loading them as is. It’s a good idea in theory, not application. There are hardly any installed shortcuts to most mainstream mail and other apps, so you will be spending too much time creating custom shortcuts if you keep this, and you can make shortcuts on your own for free. There is no point to the app which doesn’t block out other apps. When your device slides to the right, it looks and acts like you never installed the widget. Fair, but I wasn’t expecting that this is just a widget app and not something to block out everything like a mock operating system. An app within an app, you know? I feel bad but this really isn’t worth it. The distractions are going to be there when you slide your finger to the right and the device shows you the apps you have installed anyway with the regular style of the original Home Screen style layout. Would not recommend. I feel so bad writing this review because the intentions seem honest. It’s better to go out and buy yourself a dumb device or, as mentioned, make shortcuts with a black or white background image for free. There is an expensive dumb smartphone out by some Swiss brand called Punk MC02 that does this but works quickly. It’s too pricy for me to spend for minimalism and alleged tech privacy when I can use a computer, but it will do the job better and is the formatting that this app developer uhhh….took lots of “inspiration” from, to phrase it politely. Look it up on the web and the typeface plus more will all be a bit familiar to this. But the difference is, it would probably work as promised. Seeing the app developer here insists to click reduce motion. Uh nope, this doesn’t make your shortcuts widget any faster… it just is SLOW, never anything decent.

   $$$$$$$$M1 · 31 Jul 2026

5. 2/5Fine, Needs (a lot) More

   I’ll change my review if the developer fixed any of the problems I talk about here. This is an extremely simple app that basically acts as a stylish launcher for Apple Shortcuts. Shortcuts, which comes included with any recent Apple device, is free & amazing (through no effort of the creator of this app.) Dumbify isn’t different from any of the other free apps that provide minimalist Launcher Widgets, and actually offers less customizability in some cases. That’s why it’s so disappointing how *little* this app does. There are two types of Widgets that Dumbify provides: one that can show links to (Shortcuts that open) apps of your choice, and an empty one that acts as a “spacer” for your home screen. There is only ONE size of Launcher Widget offered, which takes up an entire screen of an iPhone. There is ZERO customization beyond this, which is where I’m frustrated. I’d really really like to see more than one size of Launcher widget offered, or the ability to re-size the Launcher Widget on iOS 18 (running the beta in my iPad, Dumbify *does not* include this super simple functionality.) The lack of Launcher Widget customization beyond font size/weight is super disappointing too - I’d expect a few options for alternative fonts to the default. Dumbify is a product to make your home screen look *exactly* how those in the App Store page’s demo pictures show. If you want anything beyond that (and you likely will after a few hours) go somewhere else.

   JamAndJellyGamer · 31 Jul 2026

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